Toasted Sandwich Maker Buying Guide

Should I buy a Sandwich Maker?

Sandwich makers won’t produce Michelin star quality food. However sandwich makers and panini grills are an inexpensive way of turning a plain sandwich into a snack.

They are a useful addition to kitchens in most households.

Assuming that you’re seriously looking….

What to look for in a Sandwich Maker

One of the first issues to consider is - should you go for an ordinary sandwich maker or a grill. A sandwich maker has fixed hinges with bread sized compartments, and is great for standard bread sizes. If you might want to regularly use the machinefor thicker types of bread such as focaccia, panini and ciabata, or even for steaks, chops or chicken, then think about a more expensive, but versatile grill.

All sandwich makers and grills should have a light indicating when they are on …and hot! They range in power from around 600W to 1000W. The more powerful ones will toast your bread or meat quicker, but will cost more.

Some models have internal plates which can be removed for easy cleaning.

Variable heat controls and a timer functions are useful, particularly for grills.